Kale Salad with Roasted Chickpeas & Golden Beets

The best salads are one that you come up with on the spot using ingredients you already have at home. Some people hate salads, but I love them because no one salad is ever the same. If you're vegan, you can remove the Parmesan cheese from this salad and be good to go.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 2 medium golden beets
• 2 cups chopped kale leaves
• Dash of sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 avocado, sliced
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• Shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Ingredients for Chickpeas:

• 1/2 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and rained
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Cumin
• Paprika
• Thyme
• Oregano

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut off the stems/leaves of the beets, rinse them off, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Wrap them up whole in tinfoil, and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 45-55 minutes until beets are soft and skin is easily peeled off.

2. Prepare the chickpeas by adding them to a medium bowl along with olive oil, and a dash of cumin, paprika, thyme, and oregano. Toss to coat. Add to an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes (also at 425) until chickpeas are crispy. 

3. While beets and chickpeas are roasting, add kale to a large bowl along with olive oil and salt. Massage with your hands to break down the fiber of the kale. Add tomatoes and kale to the bowl.

4. When beets are ready, peel off the skin and cut into pieces. Add to the salad along with chickpeas. Top with lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper, and toss until everything is mixed together and evenly coated with the lemon juice. 

Salmon with Zoodles and Kale Pistachio Pesto

Don't forget! You can buy a copy of my Spiralizer Recipe Book on Amazon or Barnes & Noble! 

This meal may be light, but it's especially filling, thanks to its protein and fat content. Zucchini is used instead of spaghetti in a flavorful, cheese-less pesto and is topped with a simple salmon that can be mixed in with the noodles or eaten on the side. 

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 large salmon filet
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1/2 small lemon
• 2 large zucchini

Kale Pistachio Pesto

• 1 1/2 cups kale
• 2 tablespoons pistachio nutmeats
• 1 large garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• Dash of salt

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the salmon filet on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle on 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over the filet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until salmon is flaky. 

2. While salmon is baking, prepare the zoodles and pesto, beginning with the pesto. Combine pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor, and blend until pesto is smooth but still has texture. Set aside.

3. Cut off both ends of the zucchini and cut in half crosswise. Spiralize using a small noodle blade. In a large pan, heat up remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add zucchini noodles, and cook for about 2 minutes until noodles have just begun to soften. Remove from heat, and add pesto, tossing the noodles so they're evenly coated. 

4. Transfer to a plate and top with salmon. Serve warm. 

Milk and Eggs Giveaway

If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen me post about Milk and Eggs, a grocery delivery service that I love. I am a fan of Milk and Eggs for a few reasons. First, it has a ton of my favorite brands, including Kite Hill Cheese and Vital Farms. Second, the produce comes straight from the farms, which means prices are lower since there is no middleman. Third, it delivers directly to your doorstep, which makes life so easy when you don't have time to go to the grocery store.

There are also subscription option to have groceries delivered on a weekly/bi-weekly schedule. So far, the service is only in the LA and OC regions, but you can check the map on their site to see if you live within the area. 

Through Milk and Eggs, you can order anything from fresh kale and tomatoes, cold brew, vegan cheese, juices, sauces, and more. You do have to order a day or two in advance, but it arrives early in the morning, so you're good to go even in time for breakfast. Want to try it yourself? Check the information below to get a chance to win free groceries!

**So here's the giveaway**

You have a chance to win a $100 gift card to Milk and Eggs, and all you have to do is sign up for their email subscription list here. The deadline to enter is next Friday, June 2nd. Winner will be selected at random!

In the meantime, you can also use my special code "KALE" at checkout to get $15 off any order of $35 or more. 

Rainbow Salmon Kale Salad

Holy moly it has been over a month since I've written on here! Time does fly... I'm not sure how half of 2017 is almost over. I know I don't have to explain my absence, but I was finishing up writing my manuscript for my second cookbook! Can't wait to share with you guys the topic, and I think everyone will love it.

This salmon salad is perfect for those days where you need to restore balance, whether it's in your energy levels, your digestion, your mood, and more. It's filled with nutrients to help set everything straight. Food can be so powerful.

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 2 beets
• 1 salmon filet
• Dash of sea salt and pepper
• 2 cups chopped kale, massaged
• 2 tablespoons sauerkraut
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1-2 tablespoons almond milk ricotta cheese
• Handful of alfalfa sprouts
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut off the greens of the beets, and wrap each up in tinfoil. Place on them on the baking sheet.

2. Add the salmon filet to the baking sheet as well, and top with a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of sea salt and pepper. Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Remove salmon, and cook the beets for an additional 25-30 minutes. When beets are removed from the oven, they should be soft, and the skin should easily be peeled off.

3. While the beets are cooking, add the kale to a medium/large bowl along with the salmon. When beets are ready, peel them, and chop them up. Add them to the kale bowl, along with sauerkraut, pumpkin seeds, ricotta, and sprouts. Top with olive oil and vinegar. 

Kale Salad with Lemon Miso Dressing

I've been working on book #2, so most of my energy has been going into creating those recipes (can't wait to share what it is!!). I've been trying to use up all my ingredients I have in the fridge, and this has resulted in some interesting combinations. I was craving a kale salad yesterday, and I wanted to use my leftover miso in a dressing. I also had some leftover feta cheese I wanted to finish as well. 

Typically, I think of miso used in Asian cuisine, and feta cheese is clearly Mediterranean. But I thought why not give it a try. Turns out, it tastes totally normal to eat together! I also got a little weirder and threw in some pistachios after I saw a pistachio miso salad online. The ingredients in this salad might sound weird, but I promise you, it tastes really good. Just like a refreshing light kale salad should taste :)

Ingredients (serves 1)

• 1 pasture-raised egg
• 3 cups kale leaves (massaged in olive oil and salt)
• 2 tablespoons pistachio meats
• 1 tablespoon feta cheese
• 1/4 avocado, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Lemon Miso Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon red miso paste
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon honey

1. First, soft-boil the egg. Add egg to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat. Let the egg sit in the hot water for 5 minutes, then remove and place into a bowl of cold water to cool (with the shell still on).

2. Add kale leaves to a bowl (massage with a dash of salt and olive oil). Add pistachios and feta cheese.

3. Make the miso dressing by combining ingredients together in a small bowl and mixing until smooth. Toss the kale, pistachios, and feta in the dressing.

4. Remove the shell from the egg, and cut in half. Add to the salad along with the avocado. Top with sesame seeds.